Since Trump’s heinous tirade on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, the Edina Somali American Community (ESAC) has been working tirelessly with the Edina Public Schools District, City of Edina, Edina Police Department, and community friends, partners, and allies to uphold our great city’s values and protect our youth, families, neighbors, and fellow residents.
Edina Asian American Alliance (EAAA) stands with ESAC and applauds our local leadership who have publicly spoken out. Leadership– especially public leadership–is so important to setting the tone and upholding the character and standards of our greater culture.
EAAA empathizes deeply with the Somali community at this moment. We remember during Covid, amidst a wave of anti-Asian hate and violence, we were all waiting and hoping for the District to send a message of condemnation of the hate and support for our community. Our surveys of EAAA supporters continue to show how disappointing it was that no explicit message ever came, before or after March 2022.
EAAA is encouraged by the grassroots, community, organizational, and government work being done on the ground and in legislative offices, wherein many community leaders gathered in a “Know Your Neighbors” meeting of solidarity on Wednesday, December 10, 2025.
EAAA anticipates the forthcoming Edina City Council Resolution, to be read at the City Council Meeting Tuesday, December 16, 2025.
EAAA appreciates the communication and transparency of our Edina Police Department.
Updated from our February 15, 2025 EAAA: Special Edina Police-Related Community Outshare:
Edina Police & Immigration Policy
It is not a crime to misidentify your citizenship, but it is a crime to give a false name and/or date of birth. If a person has Consulate/Diplomatic Immunity, they cannot be detained/arrested unless the crime endangers others.
Edina officers would not participate in a sweep or detainment with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). They are a federal agency, and Edina would not be requested to assist.
Here is Edina Police (EP) Policy Immigration Violations/Diplomatic and Consular Immunity/Foreign National Notification. EP reviewed this policy with members of its Multicultural Advisory Committee (MAC) in January 2025 wherein the Purpose was outlined: “To provide guidelines to officers of the Edina Police Department relating to immigration violations, interacting with federal immigration officials, diplomatic/consular immunity, and required foreign national notifications.”
General Statement: It is the policy of the Edina Police Department to protect and serve the community while recognizing the dignity of all persons, regardless of their national origin or immigration status.
This policy does not change past practices but explains the roles of Edina officers and the federal government. An Edina officer will not ask about immigration status unless they must (i.e. if there is an arrest). By federal law, if there is an arrest, that country’s consulate must be contacted. As in the case of an arrest, a person’s criminal history will be run and if it shows a criminal federal immigration warrant, the requirements will be specified in the warrant. Officers do not enforce civil warrants.
This policy is based on the Lexipol policy. Lexipol produces policies for police departments across the nation. All Edina policies are reviewed by lawyers and are within federal guidelines. State statutes and federal/state laws guide our policies. When this policy goes into effect, it will be reviewed by all Edina officers and included in training. All policies are on the City website (https://www.edinamn.gov/1717/Policies). POST (Peace Officers Standards and Training) can dictate an update for a policy. Lt. Heckert will communicate to the MAC if there are policy changes and why.
And EAAA stands by ESAC’s message to the Edina Public Schools (EPS) Superintendent and School Board, sent Wednesday, December 3, 2025. Please read the full letter below. Of course, we hold gratitude for the steps the district has already taken in alignment of our core values to support every student’s educational journey, especially Principal Paul Paetzel’s email to all Edina High School (EHS) families on December 11, 2025 following increasing targeted, problematic instances in the schools: “I’m going to call ICE on you.” Broader, proactive messaging and continued community partnership continue to be necessary. EAAA is hopeful for the forthcoming communication from the District.